As the warfare in which Metilulu's warriors had been engaged was looked
upon as very successful, the chief ordered a review to take place on the
ensuing morning, when, as was customary, those who had done brave deeds
were to be rewarded, while those who, on the contrary, had proved
themselves unworthy of being ranked among soldiers, were to receive due
punishment. This was the first review I had seen, strangers seldom
being allowed to be present at them, but my long sojourn in the kraal
made this rule waved in my case, for I had indeed become almost as one
of themselves, therefore I was permitted to be a spectator.
Like in our own affairs of the same kind, all the warriors assembled,
each taking his right position in the ranks, but here they did so in
perfect silence, while each placing his large shield on the ground
upright before him, only permitted the upper part of his dark body to be
seen. Thus they remained till it was Metilulu's pleasure to make his
appearance; and--for it seems the etiquette of great people in
Caffraria, as well as in more civilised nations, to keep their inferiors
waiting--fully an hour elapsed--the glaring sun blazing down all the
time upon the poor fellows--before his pudgy majesty waddled upon the
field, followed by his chief counsellor, and servants bearing the
never-failing beer-jar and snuff, while one held a shield, which on such
occasions was converted into a species of umbrella, to be held over the
little man's head to shade him from the sun; and Zenuta told me that woe
would betide the bearer of it if he let a single beam of the luminary of
the day rest upon the chief's black skin, such negligence being severely
punished--even occasionally by death when the royal personage happened
to be in a bad humour.
Metilulu's chair having been placed in an advantageous position, and his
counsellors congregated about him, the august chief was so overcome by
fatigue, owing to his unusual exertion, that he had to have recourse
both to the beer and snuff to recruit his strength before commencing the
review; then, I suppose, feeling stronger, he ordered the cattle taken
from the enemy to be marched before him. There was a pretty
considerable number, and I watched Metilulu's eyes twinkle with delight
as he beheld them. Suddenly he pointed to one, then to another, and, as
the sign was made, with the speed of light, a Kaffir had sprung forward,
and, with unerring aim, pierced the animal indicated by the chief to the
heart.
Surprised at this summary destruction of the beloved cattle, I asked
Tugela, who was standing by me, the reason, and learned that these were
to feast Metilulu's guests, for after a fortunate expedition he always
treated the warriors handsomely. As the eyes of the remainder of the
cattle rested upon their fallen companions, and their nostrils scented
the blood, a panic seemed to seize them, for, lowing wildly, they dashed
forward in all directions, and it was as much as their keepers could do
to head them in, and get them all safely back to the isibaya.
When this was over, and all made ready, the ceremony of pointing out the
"ama-doda," or men and the "boys" who had proved themselves worthy of
their chief's approval, commenced. This is a trying time for the
regiment, but a proud one to those who are conscious they have fought
well. Those "boys" who have done their best look eagerly forward to
receive the title of ama-doda, and become the bearer of a white shield;
while those whose courage has failed them in the hour of battle secretly
tremble in their feathers--not having shoes--at the possible, if not
inevitable result. Stepping forward, the head warrior presented his
report to Metilulu, who, on receiving it, uttered the names of those
worthy of praise aloud. As each was pronounced, the assembled Kaffirs
repeated it at the top of their voices, while they indicated with
outstretched arm the fortunate soldier. The latter, to my eyes,
appeared to have gone frantic with joy; for, with leaps only to be seen
in Caffraria or in a circus, he sprang from the ranks and commenced
executing the most peculiar antics, denoting extreme pleasure, I had
ever witnessed. His springs were wondrous. He kicked up his heels,
ran, and jumped, all the time flourishing his assagais and shield in
such a manner that I should have felt my head in danger had I been in
close proximity to him.
By this time three or four others had been specified, and were going
through the same feats as the first--doing it with such a power and
energy that the oil actually ran from their dark bodies in little
streams. After having performed most of their military evolutions, with
a bound the happy warriors leaped back into the ranks, and resumed their
former rigid attitude.
The scene was so eccentric that it occasioned me much amusement, and had
it ended here it would have been well enough; but now, the brave having
been rewarded, the cowards had to be punished. These were pointed out
without any shouting, and, as each was named, instant execution
followed, without a murmur on the victim's part. One who, I suppose,
had either been a very great coward, or the head warrior had a spite
against him, was barbarously beaten to death by knob-kerries. The
bodies of these, not being considered worthy of the rites of sepulture,
were dragged into the bush, and left there to become the meals of hyenas
and jackals, who speedily would leave nothing visible but the bones to
whiten in the sun.
This over, the paid minstrels of the tribes appeared, who, approaching,
sung their great chief's praises, using every title that had been given
him during his life for any prowess, or names he had chosen for
himself,--mostly those of animals. After which all the warriors defiled
passed Metilulu, who was dressed in his most ceremonious costume of
feathers and leopard tails, etc, no doubt to inspire respect and awe,
each Kaffir as he went by bowing profoundly and lowering his shield and
assagais to the ground.
This completing the review the feast commenced, which I need not
recount, so therefore shall pass it over. The successful issue of this
raid upon his enemy had so good an effect upon Metilulu, that he
proposed a large slaughter of animals should take place, so as to make a
grand feast--which meant every Kaffir was to have as much as he could
eat, and, if the reader recollects the account I have already given of
their capacity in that line, he will see that the quantity of provisions
necessary to be provided would be great indeed.
It must not be thought that the generous fit of Metilulu extended so far
as to the slaughtering his own cattle for the occasion; on the contrary,
he meant the slaying of a good many head of game. To render this easy a
large pit or hopo was dug in the neighbourhood of a frequent resort of
the animals we required; from this diverged two strongly made fences,
expanding one to the left the other to the right, till the farther
extremities were nearly a mile apart.
The above method of entrapping animals has, I am aware, been frequently
described before, for it is a custom practised in many parts of Africa;
but having been an actor in this one myself, I should like here to
recount it to my readers.
Most of the kraal joined the hunters, for many were required, and when
we drew near the spot, orders were given to disperse ourselves so as to
enclose a large space of bush. This being performed, by shouts and
flourishes of our assagais we began to beat up the game, and drive the
startled animals who sprang forth before us in the direction of the
hopo. Few creatures, as I believe, I have remarked previously, will
attack a party of men unless urged on by extreme hunger, thus even those
of a more ferocious nature than the eland or gemsbok flew before the
shrieking Kaffirs, who appeared like so many fiends broken loose, and
never shall I forget the scene that ensued; the fleet eland, the
gemsbok, the small graceful duiker bok, the gnoos, the zebras, and even
here and there an elephant and a buffalo, all in one pell-mell frighted
herd, fled on, in hope of safety, but, in fact, only hurrying to their
sure destruction. Occasionally they would attempt to break the fences,
but armed Kaffirs placed behind them would drive them back. The mouth
of the hopo had been concealed by tree-trunks and branches, so that the
creatures never perceived the trap laid, till, owing to the velocity of
their speed, there was no drawing back, but with a plunge the first
ranks disappeared, and the rest bounded upon the top of them. So when I
reached the hopo I found it full of miserable, struggling, howling life,
awful to see. Legs, bodies, and heads were in an inextricable mass, the
pit being so crammed that the remainder of the animals had used it as a
path to pass over and escape again to the cover of the bush.
Then into the heaving mass the hunters began to throw assagai after
assagai, killing the uppermost, and leaving the under ones to be
suffocated by the blood and weight, which speedily must have taken
effect. When all had been rendered harmless, one by one the slaughtered
beasts were raised by the aid of poles, and with songs of rejoicing--
for, having captured nearly forty head of game, the hopo was considered
most successful--we returned to the kraal, where preparations for a
grand cooking had been made.
After the feasting had abated and much joila had been drunk, I saw one
of the best dances I had yet witnessed in Caffraria--that is, more
persons than usual joined in it, for as to figure one dance resembled
another, each appearing to go through the performance according to his
own taste and with the one idea, to show as much energy and agility as
he possibly had in him.
The dancing girls had porcupine quills or hard thorns from the mimosa
stuck erect in their woolly hair, and about their waists a leather belt
covered in every part with beads, which barely answered the purpose of
an apron, while their necks, arms, and legs were literally hidden by
ornaments, they having apparently attired themselves in anything fine
they possibly could procure--it being a sign of wealth; and there, as in
other countries, the saying truly may be used, that pride is never
pinched, for though the heavy weight of these beads, bones, shells, etc,
must much incommode the dancers' movements, yet not one of them would
think of leaving a single ornament out of their toilette.
The dance commencing, the girls first formed themselves into a circle
and began, only accompanied by the sound of their own voices, then,
after a while, the warriors starting up, clashing their assagais on
their shields--for to create as horrible a hubbub as possible seems the
Kaffir's particular delight--joined in the figure, first whirling round
in an outer circle, then closing in and mingling together, never at any
time ceasing to keep up the accompaniment of their clashing shields and
shrill voices.
As usual their antics grew exceedingly violent, and as the evening was
remarkably warm, the perspiration, I might say oil, rolled in greasy
drops down the dancers' faces, causing them some inconvenience, though
each of the girls was provided with a long narrow piece of wood or bone,
something similar to a blunt knife, with which she scraped the grease
from her person wherever she felt it uncomfortable. I thought it was
well, too, that the dances took place in the open air, and even then I
was very glad to use my seaman's knowledge, to keep to the windward of
the performers.
Zenuta had once been one of the best dancers in the tribe, but, whether
my words were taking effect in her heart, she now absolutely refused to
join, for which I was not sorry, as I took care to tell her afterwards,
and received a proud, happy smile from the poor girl's eyes, for these
dances do not conduce to the morality of the people, who seem to work
themselves up to a perfectly mad frenzy, when they recognised no bounds
to their desires.
I said "Poor Zenuta," and each day I repeated the phrase with greater
pity, for I had begun to pine for dear England and English faces with a
true home sickness, and looked forward to every succeeding hour, hoping
it might bring some chance to enable me to return, when I should be
compelled to tell her that we must part for ever. It is true she had
begged me to take her with me, saying she would never vex me, but work
for me night and day; but whatever should I, Dick Galbraith, a poor
seaman, do with a Kaffir girl in England? I respected the affection she
displayed too much to have her treated with indignity as she might be in
a strange and civilised land, and I could not have taken her home, so in
all ways I saw it was best and kindest to leave her with her tribe,
feeling sure among them she would soon get reconciled to the separation,
and, no doubt, quickly marry after I left, as I intended to give her all
my cows and other effects. The sequel will prove, however, how little I
knew the really determined nature Zenuta possessed. That in intellect
and sensibility she was far in advance of her people I had speedily
become aware; but I never dreamed to what lengths her loving, humble
devotion to one, who could only give her a friendly, pitying kindness in
return, would carry her.